ORIGIN

1968 Ford Mustang Fastback S-Code Barn Find

This Mustang Fastback is said to be a 1968 model even though it doesn’t have any rear side markers, and the seller says it is a true barn. The car is disassembled, but the seller says that it is a genuine 390 V8 (S-Code) car according to the included Marti Report. Find it here on Craigslist in Dallas, Texas for $19k obo.

Hey – I have a 2009 Lincoln MKZ “barn find” – anyone interested? I even have the Ford Credit report on it! …… Lol. In the last 6 months I’ve seen so many barn finds that it makes me wonder where all the tractors are parked !

I don’t need to be told of rarity, what’s its worth completely restored, and/or “just like the one” in a certain movie. Most people that are interested KNOW what it is. They don’t need to have it dumb down to appeal to newbies to the hobby.

If it was soooo easy to restore and cash in big time THEY would have done it long ago. Sounds like they are doing you a favor by buying it.

another ignorant seller who thinks he has a gold mine.why would i even call this jerk who doesnt post any good photos, oh, i forgot, he’s afraid to post a phone number. the only person who would pay this much is a nigerian scam artist. be ware of cars in the housotn area, they rust from the inside out. bondo is probably holding this car together. you know he is a used car dealer, look at his car hauler. good luck, not!

Having owned a real, genuine “BARN” for many years, and storing a 55 Chevy as well as a couple other interesting cars and motorcycles within that genuine barn for as many years as I’ve owned the barn itself, I came to a realization. After going into that barn and “finding” those cars years later buried under all the things that have been stored upon it since the Clinton era, I can tell you with confidence that, in most parts of the country, having a car in a barn with anything other than a concrete floor and climate control doesn’t at all spare it from getting rusted out, banged up, falling apart, and getting chewed to bits by mice, cats, rats, ants, bees, chickens, badgers, coyotes, wolves, cows, horses, frogs, moles, snakes, woodchucks and of course skunks. Things poop on it, in it, under it, and around it. Things live in it. Things die in it. The whole circle of life takes place within that air cleaner housing.

PS There’s a short list of other, subtle, cosmetic changes the differentiate a 67 from a 68 — no horizontals in the grille, no FORD on the leading edge of the hood, Mustang went from block to script, etc. Plus interior bits like a floating, windshield-mount rearview mirror vs. bolted to the windshield header, three-point belts.

Cleverly, his one lame photo doesn’t give us a look at the nose or interior. Not that any of those bits would still be on the car, anyway.

@Steve in Orange — true enough. But side markers or no, there’s still the question of why he’s not more forthcoming with VIN or Marti data, and why the door tag had to be “ordered.” Sure, you can check the stampings elsewhere on the shell, but what became of the original tag?

Lately we’ve heard a lot about cars with tags and no discernible structure to support them, but a reasonably complete shell in need of an ID tag?

Mr. Know, you got me all excited, I thought the Torino was a 428CJ, R code car. Still it’s a nice car and worth every penny and just because the seller of this mustang is asking 19k, that does not mean it’s worth it or that he will get it. Sorry to all others for straying off subject.

FWIW, you can clearly see finger prints on the trunk lid. I’d also imagine that hauler has a winch.

Agree with all the comments about the “barn find” thing being played out. If it’s a Delahaye, Id love to hear about it. If it’s a relatively common car that was beaten to death, partially disassembled by someone who’s likely incompetent, and then stuck in the owner’s barn or garage in East Awfulgosh, who cares? Just wash it and show us what it looks like today. We know that it was covered in dust at some point.

If you look closely at the picture you can see that someone has molded the rear quarter extensions to the rear quarters. I believe the rear quarters to be replaced by some border brothers. I guess if I painted it pepper gray with a couple black stripes it would miraculously become and Eleanor. Additionally, there are so many options and color combo’s that affect the value of S code’s, it would be best to provide the Marti report if he expects to get north of 10k. He also does not address if it has seen any repairs, if it has rust issues and the lack of pictures speaks volumes about the sellers deliberate attempt at hiding the real condition of the car. Lastly, rusted out shells are not going for 15k, that would be a clean rust free shell. The only relevance to a barn in this situation is that the seller is full of the same stuff you would find on the floor of a barn.

If you look really carefully at the single picture, I can see what looks like the outline of where the side reflector once lived. Also, it doesn’t have the characteristic twin side gills in the c scope of a ’67. The rest of sounds fishy. Give us some more to look at for that kind of asking price. Its hard to believe I am begging for the lackluster 4 pictures instead of just 1!

Too expensive. Too sketchy. There’s just an overall stink to this one. The contrived look of the car, one lousy photo, the door tag bit, the patronizing, silly attitude about the ease of restoration. Bullitt – sure after maybe $60K. He talks as if all you’ll need is five spray cans of Highland Green.

@Allan L. – the original door tag is probably still on the original door, or what’s left of it, in the landfill. Show me a VIN or the Marti and I might begin to take this more seriously.

The whole 67 vs. 68 issue is perplexing. Unless the side markers were shaved or it’s had at least one 67 rear quarter grafted onto a 68 shell. Not sure I see a front marker, either. And why would he play games on the model year, anyway? They’re essentially identical except for the side markers, grille, rearview mirror, three-point belts, turn signals in the hood scoops, and 15 more HP in an S code (320 vs. 335). Is he playing that game just to promise you a few more HP? (after you reassemble the engine, of course).

“95-99% of the parts are here.” Funny how that math always changes when you spread your newly bought bits out on the garage floor and take inventory.

@Chicanery — “must be almost as many barns out there as there are cars built before the Carter administration.” Yup, it’s like Woodstock. About 500,000 people were actually there, but two million went.

“Come see it and bring cash.” Oh, sure. It’d be silly to go without seeing some of the “more photos” he has but didn’t share. But if you do, also bring a large, nervous, underfed Doberman.

You know how on Antiques Roadshow they are always like, “this Chippendale dresser would be worth $10,000, but unfortunately your mom Minwaxed it every spring for 50 years, so the finish is gone and it’s not worth the cost of the electricity it takes to light the bulbs so we can see it.” That cult of patina has reached car culture.

I first noticed it 20 or 30 years ago when owners started to realize that judges were rewarding points for originality and history — that is, if a racer shows up beat to hell and not “over restored” they like it better. That taste has trickled down to the point where dumping a bucket of water on a “barn find” actually looses you money.

Everyone wants to pretend they are Howard Carter peering into King Tut’s rumpus room for the first time. Now, thanks to the magic of the internet, your barn finds can be delivered to your door, dust and must intact. No rooting around in actual barns required.

I continue to be baffled by anyone who posts a craigslist ad in which they are asking more than $3k for a car and post a single picture. And usually a poor picture at that. I’m always highly suspicious of postings of cars with claimed provinance and no photo evidence.

New blog opportunity, VBF, “Vacuum Bag Find”. How do they get it on to the trailer without fingerprints? If you find it, wouldn’t you look inside? O.K. Take one shot in the barn as evidence, then wipe it down to see what you got. Just sayin’

Early ’68s used a reflector on the quarter panel so it may be just missing. An easier way to distinguish between a ’68 and ’67 is the scoops behind the door. ’67s had horizontal fins and a ’68 had none, just a vertical piece of trim. Of course you can’t see that part clearly in this one photo.